Previous proposals for garments that would protect a wearer by sorbing toxic vapors or gases have a number of deficiencies. A major deficiency is the failure to provide desired levels of vapor sorption and still maintain sufficient transfer of heat and moisture to keep a wearer cool and comfortable. For example, one previous garment lined with a carbon-loaded open-celled polymeric foam (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,939), allows a wearer to perform only limited activity before heat and moisture levels within the garment become intolerable.
Other deficiencies of previous vapor-sorptive garments are that binder materials used to adhere activated carbon particles in place in some garments cover part of the activated carbon particles and limit their useful life; carbonized fibers used for vapor-sorption in some garments are prohibitively expensive; and the fabric strength in some garments is limited. References describing various prior sorptive garments having these kinds of deficiencies include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,586,596; 3,769,144; 3,783,085; 4,217,386; and 4,250,172.